Tailgate
Directed by
Lodewijk Crijns
Hans, a self-confident man, on his way together with his family, causes a traffic fight with another driver: Ed – who, in revenge, starts to follow the family and confronts Hans with his ego. As Hans starts to lose control of his family, Ed pushes him until nothing but the fearful, vulnerable child he once was remains
Director & Cast
- Director: Lodewijk Crijns
- Starring: Jeroen Spitzenberger
- Starring: Anniek Pheifer
- Starring: Willem de Wolf
Trailer

Photos
Reviews
- "Daytime suburbia has never been more terrifying, sit down, strap in, and prepare for the most stressful journey of your cinematic life."
- "If you're driving shortly after you've seen this, you'll be checking your mirrors with extra care."
- "The one element that remains consistent throughout is a pitch black sense of humor. Even when scrambling, Tailgate resembles the Swedish comedy Force Majeure: Stripped of his bravado and toxic masculinity, Hans reveals himself a pathetic figure. There’s nothing like impending danger to dress down a bully."
- "The Dutch countryside has never looked as dangerous as it does in Tailgate, Lodewijk Crijns’s high-energy thriller. Here, those smooth roads become a wasteland frontier where vans can run bikers down at will and the terrain is so flat that you can’t hide from your enemy. At 80 minutes, this is lean, taut filmmaking. Gnarly set-pieces humiliate the characters while the sun shines bright in the sky. Coming mere months after the Russell Crowe vehicle Unhinged, Tailgate will appeal to more sophisticated petrol-heads who prefer the European style. It’s the Audi to Crowe’s Chevrolet."
- "Even with a seasoned history of similar thrillers behind it, Crijns’ film stands out as a remarkable watch; a punchy, fierce, unstoppable few hours of incredibly tightly-wound family drama, thrown through a positively dread-inducing kaleidoscope of vehicular mayhem. It really is a force of nature, and one that’ll leave you checking your rear-view mirror for weeks."
- "Tailgate is an exceptionally stressful film to watch – and I mean that in the best way possible. Anxiety inducing, nerve-wracking and ever so exciting."
- "...superbly done."
Winner
Golden Calf - Sound Design
Netherlands Film Festival
Golden Calf - Sound Design
Netherlands Film Festival
Nominated
Golden Calf - Best Film
Netherlands Film Festival
Golden Calf - Best Film
Netherlands Film Festival
Nominated
Golden Calf - Best Director
Netherlands Film Festival
Golden Calf - Best Director
Netherlands Film Festival
Official Selection
Sitges Film Festival
Sitges Film Festival
Official Selection
London FrightFest
London FrightFest